Entertaining

Entertaining : Building the Perfect Cheese Plate

One of my favorite meals in Paris is ordering a cheese plate and a glass of wine. I first spent a month in San Francisco a few years back and got hooked on eating this for dinner. When I am Paris, it’s an easy go-to meal. As the nights get longer and the temperatures warm up, there is nothing better than a wine and cheese picnic. Last night I created this cheese plate for my friends Memorial Day BBQ and it was a hit. The plate was completely clear before dinner!

When creating a cheese plate, find a surface that you can use to display everything. I used a cutting board that I had laying around, but you can also buy a designated cheese plate or cute slate chalkboard.

I like to have many garnishes and flavors to mix in with the cheese plate to please the palates of all my guests. Olives and cornichons are must because they are my favorite. It’s great to add a little crunch with the almonds.

Fruit is a must. Grapes are the perfect sweet, juicy, and crunchy addition to a cheese plate (and the figs are just so pretty I couldn’t refuse.)

Cheese essentials. This plate was mostly French cheeses for the Everyday Parisian theme but choose whichever ones you like the best. I recommend a soft brie.

For this cheese plate I chose: Gouda, Comte, St. Andres Triple Crème, and Tomme per chevre.

Add a baguette/crackers and you are all set! I prefer to grab a baguette from a local boulangerie; if you have a French bread shop in your area, you can grab one there. If not, you can always pick one up at Whole Foods/Trader Joe’s.